There have been several rather colourful labels coined by the media to describe the different approaches some parents can take when it comes to their child's education.
There's the "helicopter parent", who hovers over their child in everything they do, the "lawnmower parent", who endeavours to mow down any obstacle in their child's way and the "tiger mother" (or indeed father), whose tough love is designed to ensure the child achieves the highest standards academically.
The reality, of course, is not quite as extreme as this, but parents do rightly want to know how their child is progressing in school.
This is possibly more of an issue familiar to many of our highest performing independent schools, as the pressure on pupils to shine is often heightened when their parents are paying to educate them privately.
One way to reduce the need for parents to make numerous calls to the school is to keep them up to date with how their child is doing proactively, wherever they happen to be, or in the case of boarding schools, in whatever country they happen to live.
Some schools do this by giving parents access to information on their child's achievements, both inside and outside the classroom either online or by sending messages via text and email - Johnny came top in the latest maths test or Sally has made the school hockey team. The students' parents then get this information instantly, or can log on when it is convenient for them and as a result, they are less likely to have to pick up the phone to find out what their child has been up to in school.
Other schools have found different ways to meet the needs of parents. Concord College in Shropshire is a highly academic independent school for day and boarding students from the UK and across the world.
The school has a routine of assessing students every two weeks and it keeps parents informed of their child's progress with regular pupil reports.
Creating reports for parents can be a hugely labour intensive task for teachers. But because the college records all student grades and details of attendance and achievement electronically, reports are compiled simply and they are then sent out via email so parents receive them promptly.
Most independent schools will have come across those parents who might be deemed to be a little too involved in their child's school life. But naturally, parents do want to know that their child is receiving a good quality education and that they are getting the support they need to achieve all they are capable of.
Generally, more informed parents are happier parents who will make a positive contribution not only to their child's progress but to the wider school community.